Package for dispensing sterile articles



March 16, 1965 R. H. SHI-:ER

PACKAGE FOR DISFEZNSING STERILE ARTICLES Filed 001'.. 24, 1962 INVENTOR. P055 Sil/E51? ATFORNEI United States Patent O 3,173,723 PACKAGE FR DISPENSKNG STERILE ARTICLES Rose H. Sheer, 196 Herrick Ave., Teaneck, NJ. Filed d. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 232,762 2 Claims. (Cl. S12- 73) This invention relates to a storage and dispensing device for articles such as surgical swabs, or similar articles which must be kept sterile, but which must be made avail- `able for use one at a time.

It is an object of this invention to provide a dispenser in which the articles are kept in a sterile container, in separate sterile compartments, but in which each cornpantrnent with its article may be successively presented to a delivery point at which the article may be readily removed.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective l'view of the device from above;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of FG. 1; eni,

larged scale;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a detail of the manner in which the swabs tit into the corrugated sheet.

The device comprises a box like container 1Q having two parallel pivot rods 11 within it extending across it, one at each end. Each of the rods 11 has on its central portion a drum like enlargement 12 having an axial length slightly less than the length of the exposed portions of the stems 13 of the swabs.

The bare portions of the stems 13 of the swabs are normally attached in spaced parallel relation to a flexible strip 14, while the pad portion 15 of the swabs moves in the empty portion or channel 16 of the container 1t?, beyond each end of the drum 12.

The strip 14 carrying the swab stems 13 is carried around the drums 12 to provide a guideway 17 for the stems of the swabs down the center of the device, while keeping the padded portion 15 of each swab free from contact with any portion of the dispensing device.

It is preferred to provide a corngated strip 18 upon the guideway 17, the corrugations being of such size and so spaced as to receive the stern portion 13 of the snccessive swabs and assist in retaining them the desired distance apart.

The container 10 has an opening 19 at one end of its top to permit the strip carrying the swabs to be pulled out to deliver another swab. The strip 14 extends outwardly through the opening 19 while a flap 20 attached to the container 10, flexibly closes the opening 19 after each swab is removed.

The attachment of the center portion 13a of .the swab stem 13 to the strip 14 is such as to permit the swabs to be readily removed from the strip after it is pulled out of the container, without any contact with the sterile pads.

It will be clear that since the articles to be dispensed are all maintained Within the sterile package until they are dispensed, they will be immediately usable as removed frorn the device.

It will be clear, also, that such a package may contain any other articles which it is desired to retain in sterile form ready for use. l

What I claim:

1. A device for dispensing surgical swabs in complete sterility, said swabs being of the type having an elongated stick handle and a pad attached to one end thereof, said device comprising an enlongated container having a runway extending longitudinally through the interior thereof and having a discharge opening at one end of said container, said runway being of a width equal to the length of the handle of a swab, said container having also a channel on each side of said runway of a width to receive a pad portion of a swab without contact herewith, a band slidable over said runway and through said discharge opening, a plurality ot swabs having their handles attached in parallel -to said band with the pad portion of adjacent swabs on opposite sides of the band, and al1 in alignment with said runway and spaced to avoid contact between said pad portions.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the container has a roller at each end on its center line, and the said runway comprises a bel-t extending over said rollers whereby as each swab is removed the remaining swab may be moved over said belt by the slidable band.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 111,051 Fowler Jan. 17, 1871 925,487 Lang June 22, 1909 1,181,590 Gresham May 2, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS 680,632 Great Britain Oct. 8, 1952 

1. A DEVICE FOR DISPENSING SURGICAL SWABS IN COMPLETE STERILITY, SAID SWABS BEING OF THE TYPE HAVING AN ELONGATED STICK HANDLE AND A PAD ATTACHED TO ONE END THEREOF, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CONTAINER HAVING A RUNWAY EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH THE INTERIOR THEREOF AND HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING AT ONE END OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID RUNWAY BEING OF A WIDTH EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF THE HANDLE OF A SWAB, SAID CONTAINER HAVING ALSO A CHANNEL ON EACH SIDE OF SAID RUNWAY OF A WIDTH TO RECEIVE A PAD PORTION OF A SWAB WITHOUT CONTACT HEREWITH, A BAND SLIDABLE OVER SAID RUNWAY AND THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, A PLURALITY OF SWABS HAVING THEIR HANDLES ATTACHED IN PARALLEL TO SAID BAND WITH THE PAD PORTION OF ADJACENT SWABS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BAND, AND ALL IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID RUNWAY AND SPACED TO AVOID CONTACT BETWEEN SAID PAD PORTIONS. 